Feed your brain and your mitochondria. That’s the premise of the Wahls Protocol, a diet and lifestyle-change regimen developed by a doctor who used it to dramatically improve her own multiple sclerosis symptoms.

Terry Wahls, MD, was diagnosed with the chronic condition 10 years after experiencing initial symptoms. Despite the standard medical treatment, she quickly declined, and within three years she needed to use a wheelchair.

What is The Wahls Protocol?

The Wahls Protocol is a combination of a modified Paleo diet, wellness routines, and exercise. The diet is intended to target brain and mitochondrial functions.

What's the Difference Between Wahls Protocol and Paleo?

The Wahls Protocol diet includes considerably more plant-based foods and protein from a range of sources including wild salmon and trout and grass-fed meats—bison, lamb, pork, and beef.

How Was The Wahls Protocol Developed?

An athlete in college, Dr. Wahls began to research nutrition, focusing on cells and the mitochondria within cells that break down nutrients into energy. As she writes in The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles, “the root of optimal health begins with taking away the things that harm and confuse our cells while providing the body with the right environment in which to thrive.”

A long-time vegetarian, she began by adopting the paleo diet. But with her disease still progressing, she modified the paleo plan. The protocol, which also features therapies like stress management, relaxation, and exercise, got Dr. Wahls off four wheels and onto two: She now rides her bicycle to work every day at the University of Iowa.

What's In The Wahls Protocol Diet?

The Wahls Protocol features meat and fish, lots of vegetables (with an emphasis on the green, leafy variety), brightly colored fruit, and animal and plant fats, particularly omega 3s. Skip the dairy products, eggs, grains like wheat, rice, and oatmeal, beans and lentils, sugar, and nightshade vegetables—tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, pepper, and others.

Foods in The Wahls Diet

Here are some basics to plan your meals and snacks around:

• Dark, Leafy Greens

  Think three cups a day of spinach, kale, beet greens, radish greens, and bok choy. Your brain and your cell function will appreciate all the B vitamins you’re getting, and you’ll get vitamins A, C, and K as well.

• Vegetables Rich in Sulfur

  Both brain and mitochondria need sulfur to flourish. You can get it in broccoli, cauliflower, and other cruciferous veggies, and also in mushrooms, onions, cabbage, and in garlic, which is a superstar when it comes to sulfur content.

• Colorful Fruits and Veggies

  Antioxidants are essential in protecting brain and mitochondria growth, and they’re anti-inflammatory, meaning they can help prevent or reduce the symptoms of autoimmune disorders. In the fruit and vegetable category, the richer the color, the more antioxidants. Carrots, beets, spinach, red, green, and yellow bell peppers, kale, purple cabbage, and broccoli fill the bill for veggies. Antioxidant-rich (and colorful) fruits include blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, peaches, and blackberries.

• Grass-Fed Meats and Fatty Fish

  When it comes to getting the right balance of omega fatty acids, the key, for most people, is to up the omega 3s and reduce the omega 6s. That means cutting way back on omega 6–heavy processed foods, and increasing the amount of omega-3–rich wild salmon, grass-fed beef, sardines, walnuts, and flaxseeds in your diet.

• Iodine

  It’s essential to the growth of brain cells, but up to 75 percent of adults don’t get enough iodine. Worse yet, iodine deficiency is connected to obesity, heart disease, cancer, and cognitive impairment. To be sure you get enough, include in your diet sea vegetables (seaweed, kelp, arame, kombu), iodized salt, meats, and cranberries.

Following the Diet

To be sure you get sufficient nutrients and calories, check in with your healthcare practitioner before you embark on the Wahls Protocol diet. You may want to consider working with a dietitian to come up with a plan that meets your particular needs.

For specific guidelines, check out Dr. Wahls’s books and her website at TerryWahls.com.

Does The Wahls Protocol Work?

There is anecdotal evidence, including Dr. Wahls’s own story, showing that the Wahls Protocol, including the diet and other therapies, can be helpful in alleviating symptoms of MS and other chronic diseases. A 2014 pilot study found “significant improvement in fatigue” in participants, and recommended further study, which is currently under way by Dr. Wahls and others.

Americans pride themselves on being ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to scientific and medical advances, but although the US market for botanicals and herbal medicines is rapidly growing, we’re a couple of centuries behind Europe and many centuries behind Asia.

The fact is, there is great benefit to be reaped from traditional herbal compounds, which once formed the basis of traditional Western medicine.

Herbal Medicine

Herbs and herbal products are considered botanical medicines, as opposed to pharmaceutical medicines (even though many pharmaceuticals, for example, aspirin, were originally plant-based).

Today, single herbs are among the most widely used of all herbal products in this country, much as we’ve come to depend upon a single “magic bullet” pharmaceutical from our medicine cabinet. But we are way behind Europeans and Asians in utilizing the bounty of botanicals to their fullest extent, mainly due to ignorance and lack of information about the benefits (including ease of use) of herbal compounds.

Botanical Balance

Compounding refers to the process of combining various herbs in a balanced formula to treat specific problems, or to act as a whole-body or body-system tonic. Some formulas, particularly Chinese and Ayurvedic ones, have been used for more than a thousand years – quite a testament to their effectiveness.

Unlike “modern” medicine, however, rather than just treating symptoms or a specific disease, the aim of herbal compounding is not only to ease symptoms and “cure” the patient, but also to create a positive change and rebalance the body, so that long-lasting relief can be attained and maintained.

Herbal Compounding is an Art

Many companies take individual herbs known to be effective in heart problems, for example, and then combine them for consumers, taking a “shotgun” approach to formulas. The problem with this is that certain botanicals may not be compatible.

Choosing Herbal Compounds

• Some companies are creating these compounds in their product-development department without benefit of a professional herbalist or healthcare professional.
• They may take whatever herb is “hot” at the moment, and beef it up with another up-and-coming herb, and promote it as a compound, hoping something in there will nail whatever’s ailing the consumer.
• There is a real art to compounding, as the Chinese and Ayurvedic herbal traditions have demonstrated for many centuries.
• In these traditions, compounds have been developed very methodically, starting with a careful diagnosis of the problem and identifying the underlying manifestations of the condition being treated.
• In clinical practice, herbalists and doctors of Oriental medicine tailor each formula to each patient.
• For over-the-counter compounds, preparations are designed to address many aspects of a disease as it affects a larger population.

Common Herbal Combinations

For cardiovascular disease, for example, there are five primary issues, with an herb for each:

1. Tonification of the heart (hawthorn)
2. Fluid retention (motherwort)
3. Stress reduction (zizyphus)
4. Blood clots (tienchi ginseng)
5. Elevated cholesterol levels (Chinese salvia)

Herbalists and herbal practitioners determine the nature of an individual’s condition, then mix and match herbs to address all the manifestations of the disease.

Besides being chosen for their primary action, some herbs are included because of their secondary and tertiary action. In the example of cardiovascular disease, motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) has historically been used as a diuretic to treat fluid retention; it promotes circulation, helping to reduce the incidence of blood clots, and also lowering cholesterol.

Adding other herbs that offer different benefits ensures the compound will work for most people most of the time. This provides much more than simple symptomatic relief that may occasionally be found in “shotgun” formulas.

How Safe Are Herbal Remedies?

“Based on published reports, side effects or toxic reactions associated with herbal medicines in any form are rare. . . . Herbal medicines do not present a major problem with regard to toxicity based on a survey of the scientific literature. In fact, of all classes of substances . . . to cause toxicities of sufficient magnitude to be reported in the United States, plants are the least problematic,” reports Norman Farnsworth, PhD.

Farnsworth is a researcher and professor at the University of Illinois, Chicago, where the United States collaborates on medicinal plant research for the World Health Organization (WHO).

Every year approximately 100,000 deaths are attributed to adverse effects of pharmaceutical drugs. But over an eight-year period, the American Association of Poison Control Centers reported only one fatality caused by a dietary supplement – a finding that was later determined to be inaccurate.

Herbal medicines have proven themselves safe and effective over thousands of years, and the majority of our planet’s population uses them regularly (85 percent, according to the WHO).

Note: Do not use herbal compounds in conjunction with pharmaceuticals without the approval of your healthcare provider. Some herbals are so powerful on their own, combining them with a synthetic drug that’s supposed to provide the same action could be dangerous (an anti-coagulant, for instance).

Education & Herbal Compounds

Unfortunately, the burden of learning about herbal compounds is on you, the consumer.

If you don’t have an herbalist to advise you, many health-food retailers are very knowledgeable and can give you a good overview of what’s on their shelves. But they can’t make specific recommendations without risk of violating current government restrictions. He or she can tell you, however, who developed the formula, what kind of experience they have, and which companies have a record of being reliable providers of quality products. Just ask!  

Consumers must educate themselves about their conditions and the appropriate herbs and other natural therapies to use. This will ensure the healing potential of botanicals and will truly provide consumers with safe and effective medicines from nature.

For More Information

Looking for a healthcare provider trained in herbal medicine? Contact any of these professional groups:

American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
http://www.naturopathic.org
(206) 298-0125

American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
http://www.aaom.org
(610) 266-1433 or toll-free, (888) 500-7999

American Herbalists Guild
www.healthy.net/herbalists
(770) 751-6021

Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. The American Heart Association recommends consuming just 1,500 milligrams per day. That’s about two-thirds of a teaspoon—and most people consume a lot more than that.

If you’re concerned about your salt intake, here are a few ways to cut back without too much sacrifice.

How To Reduce Your Salt Intake

• Fresh vegetables and fruits are naturally low in sodium—let these dominate your diet.
• Replace the salt shaker on your dinner table with your favorite herbs and spices, or lemon or lime juice to accent food’s flavors. 
• Omit salt from recipes (except for baked goods, which may rely on salt for their chemical reactions).
• Adopt the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. People on DASH can see their blood pressure drop a few points in two weeks, and more over time. DASH helps reduce sodium and adds nutrient-dense foods to a diet that that naturally lowers blood pressure because it provides potassium, calcium, and magnesium. 
• Avoid the obvious: Bacon is full of salt. So is pepperoni pizza! 
• The pinch here or there won’t hurt as much as the sodium in processed foods. Check the labels on cereals, canned vegetables, soups, and sauces. Deli meats often are loaded with it. The more processed the food, the more salt it’s likely to have. 
• Look for low- or reduced-sodium soups, sauces, beans, and vegetables. Rinse canned beans and veggies to reduce salt.

If you have heart-health issues that run in your family, you may be wondering what you can do to safeguard your ticker. Fortunately, there are many natural remedies and supplements that can lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. Some of them may surprise you!

Natural Supplements for Heart Health

• Cocoa

  Harsh medicine it’s not: Cocoa is a remedy we love to love. No scientific studies are required to prove its taste, but several have shown it may reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and high blood pressure.

  In one study, adults who ate three or four bars of dark chocolate a week had lower blood pressure than those with less flavor (and fewer flavonoids) in their lives. An analysis of seven studies linked higher chocolate consumption to lower risk of heart disease and stroke.

  To avoid the fat content, or if you’re not a chocolate lover, cocoa polyphenols can be taken in supplement form. Doses of up to 500 milligrams (mg) have been studied for high blood pressure.

  Historical Use of Cocoa

  The native Kuna people of Panama and their cocoa-drinking habits have been well documented: These people of very stout heart drink four or five cups of it a day. In general, Kuna Indians have very low blood pressure, live longer than their non-Kuna countrymen, and experience less heart disease and cancer.

  Would it be a surprise if they were happier, too?

• CoQ10

  Increasing levels of B6 and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in the blood appears to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, the most common form of heart disease and a leading cause of death globally. CoQ10 is effective in helping people suffering from angina, heart attacks, and high blood pressure.

• Magnesium

  There have been several studies linking negative cardiac outcomes with low levels of serum magnesium. In one study, adults 46 to 64 years old with the highest levels of magnesium had an overall 40 percent reduced risk of sudden cardiac death.

  Magnesium coordinates the action of the heart muscles and the nerves that initiate the heartbeat, reducing the possibility of arrhythmia.

• Garlic

  This powerful herb is believed to lower blood cholesterol, protect blood vessels from free radicals, and reduce the tendency of blood to clot. Garlic, especially in powder and aged garlic extract forms, is a healthy addition to the diet for a myriad of reasons, including those at risk for cardiovascular disease.

• Omega 3s

  These fatty acids can help lower lipid levels and blood pressure, help vascular function and cardiac rhythms, and improve inflammatory response. Taken with blood-thinning drugs, they may reduce the risk of heart attacks in patients with stents in the heart arteries.

• Vitamin D

  Vitamin D may reduce the risk of heart attack. In fact, the American Journal of Cardiology has reported that taking a vitamin D supplement significantly reduced the chance of dying prematurely, by at least half.

  “We expected to see that there was a relationship between heart disease and vitamin D deficiency,” cardiologist James Vacek, MD, told Reuters Health. “We were surprised at how strong it was.”

• Capsaicin

  You can still get the benefits of hot peppers even if you can’t take the burn. Found in supplements as well as spicy vegetables, capsaicinoids appear to reduce cholesterol accumulation and help blood flow more freely to the heart and other organs.

• Plant Sterols

  “Eating sterol and stanol-containing foods is an easy way to lower your LDL cholesterol, which helps reduce the risk of heart disease,” says Ruth Frechman, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association (ADA).

  Plant sterols can be found in supplements, and some food products are now fortified with sterols. You can consume more by adding nuts, seeds, and sesame oil to your diet.

• Hawthorn

  A prescription heart medication in some European countries, hawthorn has been found to offer significant benefits for patients with chronic heart failure. It’s also used to treat high blood pressure and mild heart arrhythmias.

Some may think of meditation as navel-gazing, a waste of time, or even boring. When it comes to medicine, Westerners often favor chemistry over contemplation, but what if meditation is medicine?

A Study on Heart Benefits of Meditation

Robert Schneider, MD, a lead researcher on a study that looked at meditation and blood pressure, said that, “It appears that Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a technique that turns on the body's own pharmacy to repair and maintain itself.”

The Design of the Study

In Schneider’s study, participants with heart disease were given a choice between attending a health education class over the course of five years or a TM stress-reduction program.

Those practicing meditation sat with eyes closed for about 20 minutes twice a day, practicing the techniques of Transcendental Meditation. By contrast, the health education group was asked to spend 20 minutes a day practicing such heart-healthy behaviors as exercise, nutritious meal preparation, and nonspecific relaxation.

The groups were assessed at various stages, with researchers taking into account their body mass index, diet, blood pressure, and cardiac hospitalizations.

The Results of The Study

The meditation group fared better.

• Fewer Cardiac Events

  Only 20 “end point events”—such as stroke, heart attack, or death—occurred in the meditation group while 32 occurred in the health education group.

• Reduced Blood Pressure and Stress

  Blood pressure and anger were reduced significantly among the meditators.

• Reduced Substance Use

  While both groups showed beneficial changes in exercise and alcohol consumption, the meditation group also showed a trend toward reduced smoking.

A similar result was seen in a study involving teenagers at risk for cardiac complications. The teens who meditated in the study showed lower left ventricular masses, an indicator of future cardiovascular disease, than the control group.

How Does Meditation Help Our Hearts?

One researcher in these studies compares meditation to a “period of deep rest where the activity of the sympathetic nervous system decreases and the body releases fewer-than-normal stress hormones. As a result, the vasculature relaxes, blood pressure drops, and the heart works less.”

Additional Health Benefits of Meditation

The benefits of meditation extend beyond the heart to other parts of our body and spirit.

• Increased Productivity

  In the study with teenagers, there was another interesting side effect: improved behavior at school.

  In addition to relaxing us, meditation can make us productive. The journal Emotion found that a disciplined meditative practice trains the mind not to wander, giving it unusual focus and sharpening memory. Improved focus and memory help the brain manage information and solve problems.

  These results emerge with just 12 minutes of meditation per day!

• Increased Pain Tolerance

  The good news doesn’t stop there. Want to kick painkillers? Meditation works on this level, too.

  A 2010 study discovered that Zen meditation—the meditation favored by Buddhist monks—can thicken the part of the brain that regulates pain, lowering our sensitivities to it. This even extends to women who might be battling symptoms associated with menopause, such as hot flashes.

• Overall Well-Being

  But mostly meditation is proving itself in the realm of general happiness and well-being. A study in the journal Neurology asked people with mild to moderate multiple sclerosis to take an eight-week meditation class. Participants saw a 30 percent reduction in depressive symptoms and lower levels of fatigue.

  The data suggests depression is averted not only because meditation can teach us to focus away from negative thoughts, but also because meditation stimulates electrical activity in our brain’s left prefrontal cortex, an area associated with positive mood.

What are you waiting for? Ommmm…